Post by Victoria on Apr 7, 2018 19:43:45 GMT -5

Rome. Eternal city. Ancient Capital. All that the ancient world had strove to be at one time. A hub of history, culture, faith and a record of human history since its founding. A city who had been razed multiple times and traded hands in control more time than anyone could be sure of. A city of relative peace for the last few decades.

Now, a warzone once again. Not of the physical variety as it had been many times but in a spiritual sort of way.

The infection had cut their numbers so drastically that formerly secure, well patrolled, relatively safe routes were now almost as dangerous as active hot zones like Karakura. Places of ancient origin, Rome being one of them, had a lot of soul activity from millenniums of human habitation. This acted like a beacon for the hollow. These places often still held large populations which meant a constant supply of recently dead souls coming into the spiritual plane, which at even pre-infection numbers, meant that they, the shinigami, simply couldn't keep up with the total number of dead. It had been accepted that they would be unable to ferry every soul across to their realm but it was a very apparent point now. They did their best to get as many souls as they could while maintaining their grip on what parts of the city they could but the lines, as they always had been, were porous. They pushed into hollow held territory and the hollows did the same in return. Fighting was always violent and inconclusive and likely would always be. Things were just worse now.

Their people were stretched thin. Several thousand deployable shinigami across the five divisions holding what territory they could and trying to prevent other places from becoming footholds for the hollows in others. Thankfully, a few humans here and there who were not Quincy were capable of defending their own small territories and keeping hollows at bay. This took some of the load off her beleaguered people but did nothing to prevent the stretching thin and taxation of their present resources. Which, was the current problem.

Patrol groups through hot zones and heavily spiritual areas had always been reserved for squads and stronger shinigami. Since there just weren't as many of them to go around squads, at the best of times, were two to three people and with the drop in training time in the academy to bolster numbers where they could meant a lot of poorly trained and unready troops were being sent into fire hot zones underprepared for the task they were given. Which was what was happening on a daily basis and what she, the wolf, was preparing to relieve.

Five minutes prior a distress call had been received by her divisions coms operator, a position formerly filled by a unseated officer but now held by anyone who could fill the seat and get people where they needed to be, and she, after being roused from her two hour nap, had been requested to go and aid the unit in distress.

Still wiping sleep from her eyes as she strode towards the gate the blond female was the look of pure exhaustion. This was her fourth emergency deployment in less than thirty six hours. Something that mattered very little to her but helped to explain the haggard look she wore as she tightened hand wraps and checked her boots laces. Those between her and the gate stepped aside with a mix of awe and respect. She was the ancient of their division. The most seasoned and well versed in their task. None had served longer than her. Few would ever probably. Her name spoke of a time long gone and nearly forgotten. Her body spoke of lifetimes spent on the line and an untold number of battles. She moved with a practiced lightness to her step that only years of practice gave someone. Her presence was like that of a block of iron. Hard, cold, unflinching and reliable to the end. She was the product of her service, a soldier, regardless of how she felt about it, through and through.

Her face was as hard as her body. Green eye's partly hidden behind furrowed brow. Delicate chin set in a grim frown. Some bowed, some saluted, some simply gaped as she in all her five foot and five inch frame moved through them. She was their third seat and she'd earned that spot with oceans of blood and mountains of gore and bone. She was the embodiment of what the fifth stood for.

Duty before all things.

The present deployment wasn't one she'd need help with normally. Usually she jumped in slaughtered as many enemies as she could while pushing back the line of hollows or drawing them off to allow the endangered unit to retreat or for the medical corp to move its units in. This time, however, she would need help. Things had gone tits up so badly for the distressed unit that they would be unable to retreat under their own power and the medical corp would be unable to spare enough stretcher bearers to evacuate the entire group all at once. This was a problem simply because the only thing that was keeping this unit from being eaten was the fact that one of the members of it was just talented enough to maintain a barrier strong enough to keep the filthy beasts from doing so and they'd need to drop it to allow the medical units access to evacuate them in stages with the most direly wounded going out first. So someone, and it could be anyone, would need to provide close in defense while she handled the bulk of the fighting during the retreat of the injured unit.

She stopped just shy of the gate and raised her right hand and pointed into the group of shinigami to her right that were waiting to deploy after her . "You," she said without looking, "Grab your shit. You're assisting me with this rescue op." Dropping her right hand back to her side she closed her eyes and tilted her head to the left and was rewarded with a nice healthy crunch. Doing the same but to the right she was given yet another crunch after which she exhaled deeply. She hadn't a clue whom she'd ordered to accompany with her and it didn't matter much. If they were fifth, as everyone near this gate was, they should by the very nature of their job be capable of fighting their enemy effectively and if they weren't they wouldn't be fifth or a shinigami for very long.

Post by Machie on Apr 8, 2018 21:51:35 GMT -5

Machie was up late, as usual. Her usual schedule before the plague had set in had been erratic: meditating in a desperate attempt to deepen the connection with her zanpakuto spirit, running, a bit of swords work, and missions of course, which was jammed around hours long study sessions and two three or four hour naps. Now, Machie's tendency to be active in the earliest and latest hours of the day meant she got sent out when others were snatching what rest they could. Whenever mission squads needed filling out, Machie tended to be the first person encountered. She was awake and alert ready to leave, and much more convenient than waking up someone more powerful. Her survival to this point was perhaps by chance, or sheer dumb luck.

Perhaps her weakness wasn't as much of a burden to the forces as Machie liked to think it was. She was available and flexible. That seemed to matter more than it had five years ago. Back then, no one seemed to notice that Machie was rarely to be seen midday or that she preferred tending to the Hell Butterflies than slaying hollows. They'd been big and strong and Machie had just been another number, a face hardly worth remembering. Now, she was a desperately needed addition, something that spoke more of the dire state of the Gotei than her personal achievements.

Unlike Victoria, Machie's figure was forgettable and unimpressive. Her dark skin and the vertical pupils splitting hazel eyes might have been different enough to recall, but her slight figure and lack of presence made her easy to dismiss. That aside, most people preferred to keep someone who didn't remember to blink and usually didn't speak much at a distance, a nice, safe, and most importantly unremarkable distance.

When the Third Seat barked at her, Machie hadn't jumped. She'd twitched, slightly startled, but was by large unsurprised. It was perplexing that someone as powerful as Victoria had even pointed in the direction of someone so unnoted, but perhaps they needed more meat shields.

She said something about a rescue. They probably need bodies on the ground. I wonder if I'll return from this one.

Without complaint, Machie went to Victoria's side. Despite being somewhat bitter in general, she was not one to hold grudges. Who could afford to stay angry with someone whom they might have to entrust their life to? Besides, it hadn't been Victoria's fault Machie was weak. The feline woman had no one to blame for that other than herself.

Briefly, Machie debated speaking. She didn't want to seem rude, but pleasantries seemed useless. Verbally questioning her usefulness for this task would only come across as questioning the Third Seat's judgement.

"Where are we going?" she asked, deciding to settle for a basic question. Machie followed Victoria with no hesitation --her greatest strength was her availability after all. There was no sense in making anyone doubt the one claim to usefulness the feline shinigami had.

There were a few other shinigami that seemed to be walking towards them, no doubt called forth by Victoria's command. They looked tired, especially compared to Machie, who, while not excited, appeared far more aware than anyone who had just woken up could be. Her eyes were dull, as usual, but there was little hint of fatigue (Machie had accepted being tired as another personality trait by now, and was well versed in functioning in a permanent state of not quite there). She didn't wipe her eyes and her face was relatively fresh. She had clearly been up for at least an hour, or was good at pretending she had been.

Post by Victoria on Apr 16, 2018 21:54:08 GMT -5

"Rome," she said tightening the belt that secured her pants. "About ten minutes ago a distress call was received by the third division from a mixed division squad requesting immediate evacuation from the Colosseum. They've managed to dig in and erect a pretty sturdy barrier, however, their barrier prevents us from entering and the barrier is too small for third division extraction teams to gate into it and remove them from the safety of the barrier. Thats where we come in. Our job is simple. We gate in at the Circus Maximus and make a hasty advance to their position. Once there, I'll take point and lead the spear head through the enemy ranks. Once we reach their position we'll clear an exclusion zone large enough for the third to gate in and do their work. Once the exclusion zone is secured you all will hold the position while I'll push further into the enemy ranks and draw them off. Once the last of the wounded has been evacuated you're free to pull back as well. I will be the last out."

Touching her index and middle fingers together she pulled them up over her hair and back to the ponytail that held most of her locks at bay. Tightening it down and securing it with an extra knot the veteran shinigami watched as the gate flickered to life with its pale blue glow. On the other side she could just make out the milky outlines of a Rome at night. "Lets move," she commanded as she marched forward.

It took them almost no time to get through the Dangai and before she knew it she was setting her hobnail boots on ground used for centuries before her birth. She couldn't take the moment to revel in the thrill that was to stand on surface of the track that was model for all chariot tracks. Turning she scanned those that had come with her through the Dangai. A mottled lot who's skill she was unsure of. It didn't matter. They were the Gotei's infantry and were ready to die to save others. That was their purpose. To fight and die. Turning away from them She took a deep breath and tasted it. A few hundred of the vile beasts lay on the other side of the Palatine hill and so did the rain. It was coming and would be there soon.

Without a word she marched forward before breaking into a trot. She wouldn't waste the energy needed to shunpo. To do so would give away their advance and separate their group which for the initial strike would need the surprise and the force of their concentrated combat capacity. Despite this she set a quick pace and it wasn't long before the hobnails of her boots were crunching against the modern roadways pavement. With a bounce she was atop the ancient ruins that had once served as first homes to the original Romans and then as a site of numerous Imperial palaces. Once again, she could not find time to let this register as she moved across the stone ruins.

Stopping when she reached the point nearest to their target she stopped. She waited for them to reach her. In a low voice she spoke, "Fight well my brothers and sisters. Tonight you fight on ground sacred to my people. Ground viewed by millions. Ground stained by thousands. Ground looked on by the gods of my people. Tonight, is not the first night I've done battle in the Holiest of cities. I doubt it will be the last. Tonight is the first time I've lead troops of my own here. Do not falter. Do not fear. Show these beast how we do battle. Show them how the sons and daughters of the fifth make war."

Post by Machie on Apr 17, 2018 18:57:24 GMT -5

Machie listened to Victoria's description of their mission attentively. Her lips pressed together in a thin line and her brows knit slightly.

Direct combat then, she thought. Despite her misgivings, the feline woman felt a slight thrill at the prospect of fighting. Battles were some of the only moments where Machie felt alive, like something more than a shadow, even if it was only because she was too preoccupied with trying to stay alive, with trying to keep others alive. This was something the dark skinned woman could never have discovered in the pre-plague Gotei. Machie didn't trust her abilities enough to voluntarily take risks, she would, however, go where she was told. In that sense, the infection had been a godsend for the feline shinigami.

A glance around her revealed that the others with them were getting a bit antsy as well. Their eyes brightened with alertness, some bore feral grins or grim expressions that promised they would fight their hardest. Occasionally, Machie could spot one of their squadmates brushing a hand against their weapons.

There were four of them that answered the Third Seat's call, counting Machie. Two women and a man. Machie took in their faces, wondering if she would see them again after this mission, or if they would be lost.

The tallest of them was a woman with fiery red hair. Machie recognized her as Ren, a shinigami she'd met a few times before. Though, last the feline woman remembered, Ren had been a member of the Third Division; had she transferred? The dark skinned woman glanced at the katana strapped to Ren's side and the determination in her eyes. This woman would fight as hard as she could, Machie could feel it.

The man had straight, brown hair that was pulled back into a topknot. He had relatively soft features for a man, but the stubble coating his cheeks, chin, and neck confirmed that he wasn't a woman. He had bags and shadows under his eyes and thin cuts on his face with scabs revealed how much he had likely been overworked.

The final member of their ragtag group was a woman with a tanned complexion and wildly curly hair, barely contained into a ponytail that flared behind her head.

All four of them uttered a "yes, Ma'am" after Victoria completed the instructions for their mission.

They all worked hard to keep pace with the Gotei's wolf once they touched down in Rome, barely paying the historic site any attention.

Machie briefly wondered if she would die here, in this historical town, and if such an end could be considered poetic.

Any other errant thoughts were drowned out by the effort it took to move quickly and efficiently. Despite their best efforts, they still needed several seconds to catch up with Victoria once she stopped.

They listened to her speech, passion burning in their eyes, teeth digging into lower lips, and fists clenched.

With a final "yes, Ma'am!" they took off at full speed, piercing the enemy forces.

"Hadou Four, Byakurai!" Machie's voice was swept away by the noise roaring around her ears, absorbed into the chaos so quickly she barely heard herself.

Lightning sprang from the tip of her left index finger, darting forth to strike at an enemy body. Her right hand was already reaching for her tanto, Nasima.

Machie's heart raced and her nose flared as she dashed into the fray, ready to stab the first opponent she reached.

Around her, Ren and the other two took advantage of the distraction Machie had created, sinking their zanpakuto into the first masks they could reach.

Post by Victoria on Apr 24, 2018 23:15:32 GMT -5

They struck the enemies flank like a sledgehammer. Bodies sent flying in various states. Arcs of blood and viscera erupting into the air with sprays of bone shards and shattered bodies.

At their front the fifths wolf tore into the enemy with a ferocity unknown to many of todays breed of shinigami. A beast like battle trance that left its owner eyes wide open with small pupils as she ducked and spun around seeking claws and and fangs. Thunderous blows snapping heads back and toppling bodies. Dying enemies thrown into their neighbors with inhuman strength. She was as much a beast in this moment as they were. Her instincts guided her as theirs did them. The key difference was that this was just a moment. This would pass. For them this was their every moment.

Behind her the small four man cell kept pace with her as she ripped them a path to their allies. She gave little thought to them beyond be certain to manage her pace. Had she been alone she'd have reached the injured squad by now and begun the rally. However, that could not be done this time and she would have to hold back her pace to allow those accompanying her to keep up and to prevent them from being encircled. Not that that mattered, they were fifth. They should be more than capable of fighting their way out of binds stickier than this. But...

They were a different breed than she.

She was an older example of the type. Savage. Unrefined. Barbaric even. More in tune with the more bestial aspects of war. She was a war hammer. A spear even. Simple tools meant for wanton destruction.

They were the surgeons scalpel. Exact. Precise. Refined. Capable of great destruction with restrained accuracy.

Both had their place in war. Both had their advantages. She was just better at the barbaric aspects of war. She was, after all, a barbari.

Ducking a swipe of a scythe-like claw the wolf lunged forward and drove her left fist home. Forcing her fist northwards toward the beasts head her lips parted in a snarl as she took hold of its quivering heart. Taking hold she ripped her arm back out the hole she'd driven into the beasts body. A spray of blood gushed out onto the ground and coated her legs before dropped the heart to heave the dying beast into its advancing brethren. They'd reached the injured squad.

Moving towards the point directly in front of the barrier so the squad within was behind her she stared back at the baying horde. Letting loose a cry no human, post or not, throat should make the wolf of the fifth made her presence known amongst the horde causing it the retract a bit. She spook their damnable tongue from a year of living amongst them. Fighting their way. Killing their way. All that roar had done was buy them time to set up.

"Form groups of two," she barked without taking her eyes from the mass as it began to regather its courage. "Position yourselves so you can easily support you partner but not interfere with their movements. Do not stray more than three meters forward."

A howl from the horde stopped her before she could utter her next order.

"They're going to rush us. Stand ready to repel them. They do not breach our line! We break them here! When they retreat this time I'll pursue them into the center of the arena and engage them their."

The injured squad had done well picking their place to take up position. High on the ruins of the great theater of death. It limited the routes the enemy to take only a few so long as they kept their barrier up. "Squad leader, tell the third rescue unit to stand ready to deploy. As soon as we drive these creatures back I want those medics jumping through that gate."

Another howl and the thunder of numerous feet and paws echoed up the steps and seats of ancient origin. The horde was coming.

Post by Machie on Apr 25, 2018 19:41:45 GMT -5

None of them strayed too far from Victoria; they took advantage of the way the hollows went wild for her, striking at masks and lunging limbs to kill the beasts or throw off their attacks while they were distracted. They lacked the strength to fight with brute force and brutality the way the Third Seat did, but what they lacked in power they made up for with precision. A bakudo restrained one hollow long enough for Machie to appear before it and shove her tanto into its face, spilling black, blood-like goo. She crouched midair, already rushing through the words of another kidou. The feline woman spun and pointed, launching more lightning at the arm of a beast before it could smash its hand down onto the shinigami with the topknot.

Seconds later, Ren slashed at a tiger-masked monster before it could snatch Machie up. With barely a nod of thanks --there was barely time for such things-- the dark skinned woman launched herself at it and stabbed it in as many places as she could until the white mask shattered under her assault. It was brutal, and the technique was lacking, but it worked.

Victoria's howl sent shivers down the spines of the four man squad following her through the battle. They gathered around their leader, taking advantage of the brief respite. Their chests heaved and sweat made their ragged robes stick to their bodies uncomfortably; this fight, though short had been hard for them. It had taken every ounce of their skills and strength to avoid death or crippling injury. Even so, the woman with wild hair sported a nasty bruise across her face and there was a blood-stained rip along the side of her shihakusho. Machie was miraculously uninjured for the most part (for now), but she was bruised in several places, even if the injuries didn't show up well on her darker skin. Ren and the man with the topknot had rips along their robes as well, but appeared to have bled a little less.

Despite the obvious strain and the enemies surrounding them, all four gave Victoria their undivided attention.

"Hai!" they cried out in agreement before splitting up --Machie with the male shinigami and Ren with the other woman.

The man with the topknot (Machie resolved to learn his name once this mess was over) seemed to specialize in zanjutsu and hakuda. He released his shikai, transforming his zanpakuto into a pair of nunchucks, which he used in combination with fierce kicks and elbow jabs to beat down hollows though they towered over him.

Machie unleashed kido after kidou, some to bind the hollows, others to hinder, a few aimed at their masks. Her throat was sore and dry, her voice becoming hoarse, but the feline woman persisted, throwing as much of her power as she could to make sure this man stayed in one piece. Occasionally, Machie would rush in and stab at a limb or attempt to hamstring a beast with her knife. The dull grey tanto ripped into black, tough hide, leaving scratches and gashes along the beasts. Often times, the man she'd teamed up with would use the opportunity to slay the hollows before they could recover.

Just after felling the umpteenth beast, Machie felt as though a brick wall had smacked her. Her body went flying through the air until she crashed into something. A loud thud marked the stop of her flight. A moment later, a large hand tightened around her middle, pinning her arms to her sides.

The feline shinigami gagged as her ribs were crushed too tightly.

Fortunately, Ren was there a moment later, punching the hollow's mask with enough force to produce fine lines that spiderwebbed out from the original crack.

Machie pulled herself free and let out a growl, launching herself directly at the hollow's mask with her tanto in hand. She stabbed as hard as she could to finish the job and knelt mid air, panting, afterwards.

The redheaded shinigami, Ren, darted off afterwards, to join up with the wild haired woman, who was struggling to bind another hollow.

Post by Victoria on Apr 29, 2018 15:09:44 GMT -5

The line held. Victoria beamed within herself with pride at the determination these green soldiers fought. Outwardly, she was a mask of grim determination spattered with blood and gore. Side stepping a lunge of a hollow her left knee shot into the bests middle before planting her foot and driving her left elbow into the base of the beasts skull splattering its brain across the stones beneath before that same arms head took hold of the edge of the gash to throw the dead beast back into its comrades. Twisting back her right flew up to slam through the jaws of another hollow sending it skyward with a trail of shattered bone and an arc of black glistening blood.

The hollow attacks were thinning. Where as only minutes before they'd been coming in clusters now they came in twos and perhaps in threes. She bared her teeth at the hateful creatures as a snarl rumbled from her chest. Slowly she clenched and unclenched her fists. Her chest filled and emptied. Filled and emptied. Her eyes narrowed as she assessed the movements of the throng of hollows.

"Machie," she called tilting her head slightly in the direction of the dark skinned shinigami. "Alert the third squad extraction team that the area is secured. Get the wounded out of here and fall back. I'm going to take the fight to the enemy."

The wolf crouched slightly then exploded forward with thunderclap. She'd paint the stone beneath the great arena's floor in the blood of these beasts. She'd offer their blood as sacrifice Caturix and Mars in this place of reference. Catching the forward most hollows the tore into them with fang and claw, succumbing again to the feral battle lust. Roars and screams echoed from the level of the ancient long rotten floor. Fist met fangs. Legs met claws as she tussled with the beasts. Wounds developing on her as she sacrificed small parts of herself to fell the beasts with mighty blows. To die here would be an honor for her. To perish in a place so important to her people and Rome a suitable end she mused in the back of her mind as instinct and rage took hold of her and guided her.

Post by Machie on May 1, 2018 21:00:42 GMT -5

The battle had lost all sense of time for Machie. Every breath she took ached, every movement assuring her that her ribs were badly bruised and probably fractured. From her position in the air, the feline woman sent spell after spell at their enemies below. Generally, she targeted the ones coming for anyone not Victoria because they needed her help the most. Fortunately, their numbers thinned by the time Machie's vision was starting to get spotty.

The sound of her name drew her attention, head turning too fast and making the world seem to tilt and spin. Pursing her lips against a wave of nausea, the dark skinned woman nodded at the command.

She fished her denreishinki from her tattered robes and typed out the message, mumbling the chant to send lightning at various hollows all the while, pausing to point and direct the attacks. The entire world went dark and fuzzy for a moment. Machie blinked away the darkness just long enough to hit send.

Trembling, and barely managing to keep her eyes open, the feline shinigami continued to fire kido because their lives depended on it. A quick glance around revealed that Victoria had gone ahead. With a shrug, Machie went back to squeezing out every last drop of willpower she had and channeling it into whatever spell she could fire. They were repetitive, and sometimes barely effective, but it was enough for the other three take advantage of.

They had collapsed into a single group of three with Machie behind them. Now that the number of hollows had gone down, mostly due to Victoria's destruction and wrath, they were able to use their numbers to their advantage. Even with more powerful hollows, they were able to force distractions and strike decisive blows. Perhaps the four of them combined only had half of Victoria's strength, but truth be told , the equivalent of one and a half Wolves was more than enough for this enemy.

Post by Victoria on May 6, 2018 19:42:30 GMT -5

Every so often she'd steal a glance in the direction of barrier. The four she'd lead here were doing well to pick of the stragglers that advanced on them in small numbers. Good, they'd hold for the moment.

Her left hand took hold of a crack in the mask of one of her embattled enemies. With a mighty yank a chunk broken free causing the enemy to trash about in wild pain before she drove her right fist into the gap killing it. Wheeling, an arc of her most recent kills blood splattering after her, her left hand came up just in time to catch the blade like tail spike of serpentine beast. Grasping the tail with her right hand she release the tail spike before tugging the creature from the ground. Turning sharply on her foot she sent the beast flying overhead and into the opposite wall of the arena.

The numbers of hollows were dropping now. Now only several dozen encircled her and for the moment they'd retreated pulling back approximately ten feet from her. Their baying cries and shrieks filling the air as they attempted to bolster their courage. Her lips parted in a snarl before she let out another roar akin to the first one she'd let loose upon. Again they recoiled and this time she sprang upon them with renewed fury. Bodies torn asunder and death shrieks filled the air as she tore into them. The collapsed upon themselves trying to overpower her only to be slaughtered and torn to pieces.

Soon the hollows all lay dead or dying. Blood laying in various places about the arena. Dripping from fractured masks. Running from furrows torn in flesh. Pooling in places and mixing with other fluids from their shattered bodies. And in it all, there she stood, a mix of her own blood and that which had come from the slain beasts around her dripping from her in places as her chest rose and fell rhythmically. She was facing away from the barrier when it finally came down. She could just hear the murmurs of the squad as they came through and began prepping the wounded for extraction.

Off to her left as a faint glimmer as something moved. That glimmer grew larger and larger as it came closer to her. She smiled slightly. She could remain perfectly still and allow whatever it was that was racing for her to strike her. There was a chance it'd kill her. A chance she'd be reunited with those she'd cared for most in her time in this uniform. This place, this arena which has seen so much death in its time, was as good as any to die in. All she had to do was not move.

Her body reacted solely on instinct as her conscious mind worked out if it wished to die in this place. The object raced past where her head had just been. Grasping the object Victoria's eyebrow raised as she realized what it was. The serpentine beast had survived its flight across the arena and its subsequent crash. No matter. She'd blow its head off and end its existence. Wrapping the tail around her wrist the ancient gave a mighty tug and ripped the beast towards her. As it neared her left arm came back and then shot forward catching it bellow its ribs. The blow tore the beast in half with an explosion of gore which sent the still living top half tumbling off over head.

Unwinding the tail from her wrist she made her way over to the beast as it struggled to move without the lower two thirds of its slender body. Planting a foot between the shoulders of its vestigial arms she pinned it to the ground for a moment as she watched it. Weakly is cried out to the dead around it. Weakly thrashing as its life energy left it. Shifting her foot to the back of its head Victoria began to crush its head beneath her. With a wet spurt and the muted death cry of a hollow its ceased its weak thrashing and began to fade away. Breathing deeply the blond woman surveyed her carnage. This scene was all too familiar for her and she'd see it many more times before she finally found the end of her tale. Looking to the milling bodies of her division mates and the rescue team she began to make her way back over to them.

Post by Machie on May 13, 2018 0:35:44 GMT -5

Ren glanced over to see Machie laying in a crumpled heap, completely vulnerable. The moment's distraction nearly cost her her own consciousness, or worse, her life. Fortunately, the wild haired woman sent a stream of fire at the hollow, an ugly beast with a grin painted on its mask, to drive it away from the redhead.

The only man of the group slashed at a hollow that tried to snatch up the unconscious member of the squad, taking advantage of the distraction. Perhaps it was cruel for him to use her as bait, but they had to use every advantage available to keep up with the damage Victoria was wreaking some eight hundred or so meters away.

The other two noticed his strategy and began to target distracted hollows who tried to swoop in on what looked like an easy meal.

Machie groaned weakly, her entire body throbbing painfully. With a strangled noise, she heaved herself to her feet, grumbling more kidou spells under her breath. Mostly, she relied on lightning, but the occasional restraining bakudou or weaker but more versatile hadou were thrown in. Though mostly immobile, the dark skinned woman didn't give up or let the thinning crowd of monsters kill her. Machie wanted to live, something she hadn't been so sure of before her life was on the line.

With the feline shinigami's partial recovery, the other three were able to capitalize on her role as bait with even more destruction in return for their efforts.

Even a weak lightning strike to the mask made an opening that could be exploited.

The hollows dropped like flies now that the squad was able to focus all of their force on each one individually. All they really needed to win was a solid blow to the mask, something Ren could deliver in half a second if given the chance.

A particularly desperate hollow managed to grab at Machie, who jumped onto its arm and ran up to deliver a savage stab to its sneering face. She landed in a crouch once its body dissolved, and coughed. Blood stained her palm red, but the dark skinned woman merely wiped it off on what remained of her robes and readjusted her grip on her tanto.

Her body felt as though it were on fire now and it was getting hard to distinguish her limbs from one another. Was she reaching her limit?

Machie recalled something Kyojin had said to her once about their strength coming from willpower. She was, after all, a spirit.

With this in mind, the feline shinigami forced herself to stand. Though she could not will her injuries away, she could still fight through them.

"Hurry up and die!" she screamed, before using shunpo to appear in front of a tiger masked enemy. With a brutal slash, she removed it from the fight.

Similarly, Ren smashed into mask after mask with her fists.

The wild haired woman had a vicious snarl on her face, a mockery of a smile that bared her teeth as she used bakudo to restrain hollows. They oft stumbled or outright stopped in their tracks. It wasn't much, but it was enough for the man to rush in and stab brutally.

Masks broke one after the other. Black blood splashed them, stinging like acid, before vanishing as their enemies died.

Ren caught sight of Victoria approaching them.

"She's coming! Straighten up!"

Machie thought she had been fighting her hardest already, but she was wrong. She hacked up more blood, the droplets falling onto the mask of her next victim before she slid the dull grey blade of her tanto into the eye hole and ripped upwards. Her movements had become more efficient out of necessity. She didn't have the energy or pain tolerance to waste even a twitch or intake of breath that wouldn't lead to another broken mask.

Post by Victoria on May 13, 2018 20:30:21 GMT -5

The momentary distraction Ren's cry for them to straighten up let a single hollow make a rush for the wounded Machie. In a blink Victoria was gone and between them hands grasping the jaws of the beast in her hands its fangs making her hands bleed as she held the snapping jaws spread wide. With a grunt she wrenched the beast from the ground. Bringing her left hand up and out she spun the best onto its back before slamming it to the ground violently. Releasing its jaws she wound up to deliver the killing blow. In its own version of flash step the beast disappeared and reappeared several meters away and let out a roar.

Victoria lowered herself into a crouch and let out her own cry before the two beasts began to circle. Snarls and growls exchanged as they sized each other up. Slowly Victoria's pressure began leak free filling the area with her a piercing frigidity. Frost coating her hair and uniform as she watch the beast through narrowed eyes. They rushed each other with respective sonic steps. A thunderclap they clashed blows exchanging as the parried and dodged blows not quite connecting as they rushed around the arena. Separating but for a moment the two combatants charged again meeting back at their starting point in a rapid exchange of blows.

A piercing shriek of pain and a spray of crimson blood and black ichor misted the air. A ways off the beasts right arm thudded to the ground and blood poured from a bite wound on Victoria's right shoulder. The beast stumbled back several steps screeching in pain. Victoria's right hand twitched as she tried to will it to close. She wouldn't look at the wound. She wouldn't acknowledge the pain. Her hand was dead at her side. The beasts bite had pierced enough of the muscles in her right chest, back and shoulder that her hand would do nothing. No matter. She'd fought with similar injuries countless times. It would only change how messily this beast would see its end.

The beast was still screeching with pain as she slammed into it knocking it backwards with a earth shaking thud. Planting a foot in the wounded beasts jaw and grabbing hold of its lower with her left she gave a mighty tug as blood began to seep from the bottom of her foot and her left hand again. With an ear splitting crack the beasts lower jaw came free of its joint, broken and left hanging helplessly as she shunpo'd away to avoid the retaliatory strike from the beasts left hand. Touching down as the mangled beast rolled over onto its gasping in its raspy voice Victoria lowered herself into crouch and stared at the beast. They were both reaching the limits their bodies could take. Still at Victoria's side her hand twitched as she tried to force the fingers to close. Reaching over the blonde closed her right hand before doubling over to her knees with a cry of pain as the spasming muscles rebelled against her forced orders. Breathing ragged the Wolf of the fifth forced herself upright on her shaking legs and twisted smile parting her lips.

Gaelic. A tongue she rarely spoke safe to herself when she was in need of not a single person knowing what she was saying and didn't wish to speak Latin. A descendant language of Gaulish, words and pronunciations similar and shared with sentence construction identical. Picking up the language in the centuries after her death had been easy.

She disappeared in a shunpo and the beasts head snapped violently to its left as she drove her left hand square into its temple cracks spreading away from the impact point. She shunpo'd again, this time in place, as she came out of a high speed spin her right heel smashed into the damaged section of mask spraying bone shards everywhere cutting into its wounded attacker. The beast stumbled and Victoria's assault continued with renewed fury as her left hand flew in rapid strikes battering the damaged part of its skull. It raised its remaining hand to try and fend her off only to have its wrist shattered by a well placed kick.

Grabbing the edge of it s mask Victoria began slamming knees into the damaged part of its mask blood beginning to seep from cuts and gouges on her knees as she hammered the beast into submission. Finally the beast collapsed after trashing about futilely as she drove her knees into the side of its head. Blood seeped from its eyes nose and the wrecked hole that was its mouth. Her chest burned, her left arm ached and she was certain both of her knee caps were broken after being used to batter her way through the side of the creatures head. Blood ran from between her teeth from her gritting them tightly as she swore at the beast in the numerous languages she spoke both living and dead. Putting her right side to the beasts batter head she wound and twisted sharply her fist rocketing around its compact arc flight and crashed into the damage section of its mask with a spurt of blood as she buried her arm up to her elbow in its head. Wrenching her arm out as the light in the beasts eyes left it she staggered backwards breasts heaving as she sucked in air greedily. Thudding down next to Machie she simply watched the final beast fade away.

"Ублюдок," she muttered as she dragged her seized arm across and onto her lap.

Post by Machie on May 23, 2018 20:52:33 GMT -5

"Machie!" The feline shinigami turned her head at the sound of her name (why was Ren screaming?)

She turned her head and saw the hollow bearing down on her, appearing to move in slow motion to the dark skinned woman's dilated pupils.

"Oh," she whispered hoarsely. Machie stared, willing her body to move just once more, but her muscles only twitched. The injured shinigami managed a single shaky step before she mentally resigned to being a casualty. After all, if Machie died here, she could be done.

"¿Voy para casa?" she asked herself in her native tongue.

Something slammed into the hollow's mask, right into its gaping maw.

"Supongo que no muera hoy," Machie grumbled, not realizing that she was once again speaking Spanish. It was the first time she'd uttered something in her foreign tongue when she had her wits about her. The last time she'd said anything in her native tongue had been after a particularly nasty hollow had knocked her senseless.

"Si dios quiere, viva."

She stared on as Victoria ripped the hollow's mouth open, breaking its jaw with such force that even the rest of the squad winced at the brutality.

Machie heard a thump before she could feel her body hitting the ground. She let her gaze trail towards the sky as the ragged rise of and fall of her chest became more noticeable. Thin, hazel bands ringed her pupils, taking in the yellows and pinks stretching across the sky. Sunset, a beautiful metaphor for this age in her life. The end of the day and the beasts that had fallen left and right at her comrades' feet.

A slow blink made the world seem to go black. Machie's brow furrowed as she struggled to focus her eyes.

Distantly, Machie could hear the roars and shrieks of the hollow as the Wolf of the Fifth beat down the last monster that dared stand against them. The dark skinned woman rolled her head to try and peer at the fight, remembering that they were in the midst of a battle, even if she had thrown up her metaphorical white flag. Did it count as giving up if the enemy had already been felled? Perhaps giving in once the last of the fight was going downhill was allowed.

Victoria's feet came into sight.

Machie turned her head once more as her superior dropped to the ground.

"Gracias," the dark skinned woman rasped her thanks, still unaware at the change in tongues. "Me salvó la vida."

As if a weight had been lifted, the other three from their squad relaxed and let out whoops of relief and victory.

They ran to surround the two women in the dirt.

"Do you need help?" the wild haired woman asked Victoria, not wanting to insult the Third Seat by assuming she couldn't stand under her own power.

Ren bent and scooped Machie up.

"The Third have opened a gate, we should get out with them," someone was saying.

Machie hummed in agreement; she was far less concerned with what would happen now. Her eyelids felt so heavy. Through half lidded eyes she watched as the rest of their squad rushed them towards the gates home. The feline woman yawned and glanced up at the red haired woman carrying her.

Post by Victoria on May 27, 2018 21:37:42 GMT -5

"Harías lo mismo," Victoria replied as the remainder of the squad gathered around her and Machie. Waving away the wild haired woman Victoria pulled herself upright before speaking, "Good work, all of you. This was a rescue I knew I couldn't handle alone. You've all done well despite the numbers and fierce fighting. You four have great synergy. I suggest you four do everything you can to stay together as a squad when you deploy."

A member of third, a burly chap probably picked for third because of his strength and ability to carry out most of the shinigami presently serving, came over and took the injured Machie from Ren. Machie was in rough shape. Probably some internal bleeding, maybe a popped lung or some liver damage if Victoria had to guess. Nothing the skilled hands and spells of the medical division couldn't handle. Slowly everyone was pulled to a side and being tended to by the available third staff.

"Ma'am," a voice caught her attention before she looked to it. It was a group of two of the third medics, "We'd like to get a look at your shoulder and knees. You're pretty bloodied up."

"Don't worry about my wounds. See to the rest of the wounded," she responded with a slight smile.

"Ma'am, I don't think you realize how badly you're beat up. You really..." the second one began to say before Victoria raised her left hand to silence them.

"I am well aware of how badly I'm injured. I still, however, want my men looked after first," she said the smile not leaving her.

"Ma'am," they said in unison.

"Don't press your luck corpsmen. The damage I've sustained is past your healing abilities. This arm will likely need a little surgery and you don't have the tools with you to do it here, not that I'd let you even attempt it here. See to my men, please," Victoria said before moving past them and to Machie's side. Taking a knee next to the most wounded member of her team she patted her head with her good arm. "Le hiciste bien a un pequeño gatito. Sin embargo, tus garras siguen siendo aburridas. Seguir luchando. Afila esas garras tuyas hasta que puedan atravesar cualquier cosa. Estoy orgulloso de ti Machie," Victoria wasn't sure if the feline woman could hear her. It didn't matter anyways as she took a seat on a step near where Machie was being healed. This would be her post till the last one moved through the gate.

Post by Machie on Jun 7, 2018 14:17:37 GMT -5

Machie blinked slowly, watching the red hair of the former Third Division shinigami grow more distant after Ren handed her off. Unlike Victoria, she couldn't just shrug off her injuries and keep going. Perhaps next time she'd be able to walk off the battle field under her own power.

The dark skinned woman was light, small enough for Victoria to support her weight even one-armed. She didn't resist, not even complaining at being carried around like a child. The numerous voices as members of the Third Division swarmed them distracted her from any potential embarrassment.

Her brow furrowed briefly as Victoria insisted that the medics tend to the rest of the squad first. Her lips felt like rubber when she tried to speak up and pester the Wolf about her injuries. An indecipherable mumble escaped her mouth as her tongue struggled to form the proper sounds.

This time, Machie actually pouted. She'd been preparing to agree with their insistence on treating her superior.

Oh well.

Machie turned her head when Victoria started to talk, leaning into the hand patting her head.

Half lidded, hazel eyes regarded the wolf with a look that showed how much the praise meant to her. Perhaps Machie wasn't so useless after all. If this woman who could rip Hollows apart with her bare hands thought she could grow strong, then maybe it was possible.

A rare smile crossed the dark skinned woman's face before her vision went black.